Flexible manufacturing system for consumer packaged products

A flexible manufacturing system for producing and packaging pad-like products into different packages, comprising:

• (a) one or more supplying means for providing said pad-like products, said pad-like products being suitable for packaging;
• (b) a multiplicity of packaging means for packaging said pad-like products into different packages;
• (c) one or more conveying means for conveying said pad-like products from said supplying means to said packaging means, said conveying means forming a continuous path linking said one or more supplying means with said multiplicity of packaging means, said continuous path comprising a multiplicity of receptors, wherein each of said receptors is capable of accepting, carrying, and discharging a pad-like product;
• and
• (d) a multiplicity of stacking means for arranging said pad-like products into separate stacks for packaging, said multiplicity of stacking means being disposed vertically between said one or more supplying means and said multiplicity of packaging means, at least one of said multiplicity of stacking means comprising:
• a. a first descending means disposed at the outmost vertical position of said stacking means, for receiving said pad-like products at a releasing station disposed at said continuous path of said releasing means, and for maintaining a horizontal orientation of said pad-like products;
• b. a second descending means disposed adjacent below said first descending means, for maintaining said horizontal orientation of said pad-like products descending from said first descending means and for delivering said pad-like products into a pickup position;
• c. a rotary drum disposed adjacent below said second descending means, for transferring the pad-like products from said pickup position to a stacking position;
• d. a bar conveyor disposed adjacent said stacking position, for accumulating a stack of said pad-like products;
• and
• e. an overhead conveyor disposed adjacent and perpendicularly to said bar conveyor for accumulating one or more said stack of said pad-like products and for supplying said one or more stack of said pad-like products to said packaging means for packaging into said package.